Yesterday, Mariella got
on her flight to Sweden. She stepped through the door of her apartment just a
few hours ago. From door to door the trip is more than 24 hours. It is an
exhausting journey, with a lot of flight changes and running to gates. It’s
amazing though, that we have the possibility to travel across the world like
that. Still, sometimes it makes me sad that parts of my heart belong here in
Latin America, which is so far away from my family.

Four months ago, I was
prepared to live alone in the Caribbean jungle: a big change from studying and
having had friends around me most of the time the year before. Now, my work
wouldn’t include many colleagues and thus I expected to have to make somewhat
of an effort to find new hangouts and friends. But so, in January my lovely,
lovingly, inspiring and all-through awesome sister decided to stay and live
with me in Puerto Viejo.

Chocolate tasting

Latin America is in
many ways more home to me than Sweden is, but it is difficult to have your
loved ones far away across the Atlantic Ocean. Having Mariella here has felt
like I have them all a little closer.

Turns out neither of us
had to work very hard to make friends, even though (seemingly) we didn’t have a
particular forum to interact within. All you have to do is smile and talk. And
both of us have always been good at that: talk. However, I still claim it is
easier here than in a culture like Sweden where you have to “warm-up” people to
get to know them.

With Luis in San Jose

Potluck in PV

Anyway, she gives me
energy just by being around and I miss her already! When I go to Sweden I’ll be
super annoying and overstay my welcome on her couch. But it’s ok, because she
knows that I’ll feed her.

Te amo hermanita

Right now, I am having
coffee at my friend’s house in San Jose, trying to get some work done.
Apparently, Obama is coming for a visit today. Roads are closed all over the
capital. He is probably just popping by, but the public sector is taking the
opportunity to have a day off. I’m rambling because my thoughts are a mess (and
I’ve had too much coffee). I’m trying to figure out what to do the coming
weeks.

Calendar

“Maggie is an amazing yoga teacher and cook as well as an all around amazing person to be around, have a conversation with and get to know! She is a beautiful healer, and all of her classes are well structured, thoughtful and genuine, and I would recommend them to anyone!” Nicole, USA